{Hey, hey hold up a minute
Let me stop up here and use this pay phone real quick
Right, hey Toni, it's me, I was just calling, you know
Just calling to let you know, don't wait up for me tonight}

{I mean I just got a lotta things on my mind
I gotta think about, you know
Just umm, I'll be over Brian's house
You know, just for tonight}

{I mean, I mean, I know things are different
But you know, it's not you, it's me
You know, it's me, really me, you know
I mean basically, I just think I'm gonna need some space}

Why are you calling me on the phone?
Why you not at home on time?
You say you're staying over your friends
'Coz you got a lot on your mind

Now you're swearing up and down that it ain't me
Still you say that things have changed
So tell me what exactly does it mean
When you say you need your space?
Just don't make no excuses, no no

Why you gotta lie to me?
Just be a man about it
Baby, you don't gotta lie to me, no
Just be a man about it

I can tell you wanna leave
Just be a man about it
Come and grab your things
Just be a man about it

{I mean, you gotta understand I love you, you know what I'm saying
And I love you enough to say that I think
I think you deserve somebody better than me, you know
And right now, I can't give you what you need, you know
I mean, I wanna love you and I'm gonna love you, one day but, you know
I mean, you just gotta understand where I'm coming from}

You say right now that you're not what I'm looking for
And what you really need is time to grow
You're promising that one day you may come around
And I'm supposed to let that go

But where the hell do you get off telling me your mama said
I'm not what you need?
Tell you what, since she knows it all
Then that's where you need to be
Just don't make no excuses, no no

Why you gotta lie to me?
Just be a man about it
You don't gotta lie to me, no
Just be a man about it

I can tell you wanna leave
Just be a man about it
So come and grab your things
Just be a man about it

Can you tell me how you can say you're in love
And then treat me so bad, boy? You know it just ain't right
I cannot believe the way you handled things
You wouldn't lie if you were a man

Why you gotta lie to me?
Just be a man about it
You don't gotta lie to me, no
Just be a man about it

I can tell you wanna leave
Just be a man about it
So come and grab your things
Just be a man about it

Why you gotta lie to me?
Just be a man about it
You don't gotta lie to me, no
Just be a man about it

I can tell you wanna leave
Just be a man about it
So come and grab your things
Just be a man about it